What Happens
by RobSp1derp1g
Summary: Ash just won the Kalos League, and he is thrown a party to celebrate it. How will everyone he knows in Pallet react to Serena? Based on a drabble written on Serebii Forums.
1. in the Champion's Hall

**Hello, my good folks! RobSp1derp1g here, with something new and exciting, as I've heard from a friend so many times...**

**I bring you a new story. This was originally a drabble on the AmourShipping thread on SPPf, and people liked it so much, I turned the idea into a fanfic.**

**The topic was: _Ash won the Kalos League and there's a party in Pallet Town. Serena is invited. How would everyone's reaction be?_ (paraphrasing)**

**It's a supposed to be a two-shot, but I have some plans for this. The party in Pallet part (try saying that 5 times fast) will be toward the end, and there will be an epilogue after it.**** I didn't really have a backstory, so I whipped something up. It's basic, and possibly badly written, but you'll like it... I think.**

_**I MUST INFORM YOU THAT THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SPOILERS!**_

**So, without further ado, here's...**

**What Happens...**

* * *

For so, _so _long, this was all he wanted. With a desire that made men's hearts burn with passion.

The moment his name was announced as the winner of the Kalos League, he fell to his knees in disbelief. His most trusted partner climbed to his shoulder and started celebrating. A celebration that felt more precious than rare materials or diamonds and pearls... A celebration that their souls needed.

After the interviews, the photographs and the obligatory induction in the Hall of Fame, he was finally able to rejoin his friends. A blonde child sat on a chair, swinging her legs, eagerly waiting for the chance to release the accumulated energy that seemed to originate from the tiny mouse located in her satchel. A teenage boy sat quietly beside her, but the same energy was there, though more controlled, as he was tapping his feet. Pacing through the small room, which was dotted with potted plants; was a teenage girl, who seemed more excited than the other two combined. She was electrified. Her small fox-like companion acknowledged her trainer's excitement by barking at her. The girl picked her friend up and held her in her arms, making an unsuccessful attempt to deviate her attention...

A door opened. A teenage boy with black hair walked through it, looking in disbelief and amazement to a gold object in his hands. In his shoulder, a yellow mouse celebrated.

"Ash, is that..." The blond teenage boy asked, walking towards the door that had just opened.

"Huh?" Ash suddenly realizes where he is and all that transpired. He did it. He finally did it.

"Ash, can I play with the trophy?" The small girl ran to his friend, and asked.

"Trophy? Oh, sure, Bonnie." Ash handed the trophy to the young girl, as his yellow companion jumped to the ground and started playing with the creature in the little kid's satchel.

"Serena, what's wrong?" The blond boy questioned.

Anyone watching that scene would ask the same question. The girl had tears in her eyes, but a large smile in her face.

"Him." She turned to Ash. "You managed to complete your goal, defeating insurmountable odds and now, that you're standing here with your dream fulfilled, you can't believe it." Serena explained.

"Clemont, can you come here, please?" Bonnie asked.

"You didn't break the trophy, did you?" Clemont inquired the little girl as he walked away from the teenagers.

"I guess you're right. It's been a _very_ long time waiting for this..." Ash's victory starts to settle in.

Serena threw herself towards Ash, with her arms open, in an effort to embrace him. Seeing as he didn't really have a choice, he put his arms around her. It felt good. It made the league victory he just accomplished, after years of hard work, seem trivial.

"Serena", Ash softly spoke, "thank you."

"For what?" Serena questioned, the tinyest bit of curiosity took over her voice.

"You've been there for me ever since I started my journey in Kalos. When things looked bleak, you never left my side. I don't think I'd be able to be here today, in the Champion's Hall, if it weren't for you." The black-haired teen answered.

"I'm so proud of you." Serena's voice was soft, her emotions worn on her sleeve.

Serena pulled herself back from the embrace, and intended to give Ash a simple kiss on the cheek, to congratulate him on his achievement. But Ash decided to turn his head to the right...

"Okay, Ash, I just need your signature in a few docu...ments..." A voice originating from behind them quickly became quiet in front of what its owner saw.

Clemont looked back to see who was talking, and he recognized the woman, and the lizard-like creature that was perched in her shoulder. But his gaze swiftly changed and what he saw left him flabbergasted.

A teenage couple sharing the most tender, unexpected kiss in recorded human history. Neither of them expected it, but neither of them were moving... Their eyes, opened by surprised at first, slowly closed to give way to emotion.

The bigger of the yellow mice looked at his trainer and with a smile exclaimed: "Pi ka!" (A/N: Which translates to something along the lines of "About time!")

Clemont smiled. He was happy for his friends. It clearly had been a long time coming. Being a man of science, he'd noticed the smiles, the tiny variations in their behavior when they were around each other. Serena had always been into Ash, but something triggered the same effect on Ash. He suspected something happened when they went shopping for presents for their Pokémon.

The woman who opened the door walked towards the blond boy, taking careful steps not to make any type of sound.

"How long do they do this for?" The woman asked, clearly content.

"I don't know," Clemont explained, his gaze focused on the couple. "They've never done this before..."

"Are you saying I walked in on their first kiss? Good one, Alexa!"

"Whose first kiss?" Bonnie asks, getting up from the ground from playing with Ash's trophy.

As if predicting what would happen, Clemont walked behind his sister and prepared himself. Bonnie looked at Alexa and acknowledged the young woman.

"Alexa, what are you doing here?" The child questioned.

"Well, being the sister of a gym leader has its advantages..." Alexa explained, to which Bonnie chuckled. "When I found out that Ash had won the league championship and was going to battle Diantha, I asked Viola to introduce me to Diantha, because I wanted to be here in case Ash won, and win he did. In more than one respect, I might add."

"What do you..." Bonnie looked at Ash and became electric. "Holy Arc..." She was suddenly silenced by her brother, who covered her mouth with his hand.

"Come with us, Bonnie." Alexa requested.

"But... but... but..." The child complanied.

Alexa took the siblings to the door and opened it. The Pokémon looked at her expectantly, but she just said, "Stay there, we'll be right back". She let the siblings through and crossed the threshold herself, closing the door almost in full, except for a crack.

"Bonnie," Alexa crouched to level herself with the girl, "what you saw in there..."

"I know what I saw in there, I'm not stupid." Bonnie retorted. "Ash and Serena were kissing. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is," Clemont mimicked Alexa's action and crouched, and held Bonnie's arm with his right hand. "Ash and Serena don't know we saw them kissing. So, if they tell you something about what you saw here, you tell them you only saw Ash won his match against Diantha, okay?"

"Okay... but it's so cute!" Bonnie begrudgingly complained.

"Oh, she thinks we're cute!" A voice rings out.

A triple gulp took place.

Across the threshold were the Ash and Serena.

"Ash, Serena... we... we were just..." Clemont stuttered, nervously.

"Guys, I know you saw us, but I have one favor to ask you. When we get to Pallet Town, in Kanto, please don't tell anyone what you saw here." Ash pleaded

"Why not? It's a beautiful thing." Alexa said.

"Yeah, but if they knew, my mom and Prof. Oak would never let me hear the end of it..."

"Just one thing," Clemont inquired, "Why would we go to Pallet Town?"

"By now, news of my victory must have reached Pallet. Don't you think I'd want to celebrate it with my friends?" Ash smiled.

"Oh, I don't know..." Bonnie replied, faking an upset tone. "It seems you already had a celebration of your own back there..."

All five people began laughing. The Champion and his friends. Ash motioned for Pikachu to join him, and Dedenne followed.

As they walked away from the Champion's Hall, all five of them knew that their dynamics shifted. What was there five hours ago, is not what is there now. And what they left behind...

"Oh no! The trophy! I left it inside!" Bonnie panicked.

"No, you didn't. I got it when we came out." Ash replied.

"Sorry? If it wasn't for me, it would still be waiting for someone to pick it up!" Serena protested.

"Yeah, but... but... I give up..." Ash conceded.

"Wise decision." Alexa commented.

And so a journey came to an end, only for another one to begin. But many things can take place, on the way to Pallet Town.


	2. in the air

**Hello, my readers!**

**I'm here presenting what would be a Prologue to Chapter 2 of What Happens, but ended up being the chapter itself.**

**It's a little short, but it's good. At least I think so.**

**Let's get reading, shall we?**

* * *

Thoughts are powerful things. One thought, once placed in the mind, can have a myriad of effects. It can make you sick, it can make you happy. It can lead you to your doom or guide you to success.

There has been one stray thought jumping around in Ash's mind ever since he won the Kalos league championship. Ever since he held that trophy in his hands, ever since he was named the Kalos league champion, and the youngest champion ever to win the Kalos league. _Ever since she kissed him._

This thought kept him awake while 95% of the passengers of Air Pidgeot's Flight 025 lay fast asleep. The red-eye flight has that effect on people. But the truth is, the inception on this thought was long before this event… He couldn't exactly pinpoint the origin, but it was there when they had their first date. And Bonnie teased them, gradually. Maybe she knew something was up.

He didn't know, though, why this thought would plague his every waking moment. He had little control over it. It was like if he had been locked out of his own mind. The only thought he could access as the thought of earlier today, when he was surprised by Serena. No one in the group knew, but that had been his first kiss. He looked at the girl sitting beside him, sleeping peacefully. _She's so pretty,_ he thought.

He caught this thought. He analyzed it. He recognized it. He questioned it. _Why do I feel like this?_

As she peacefully slept, Ash picked up the complementary blanket, offered by the airline, and softly covered Serena all the way to her shoulders. She shuddered as she came into contact with this new material. For a split-second, Ash regretted covering Serena, believing having woken her from her slumber. But then he heard her talk in her sleep.

-Bonnie, what do you mean… 'keep Ash…, s'il vous plaît'?

Those words, although unconscious, brought a smile to Ash's lips.

"Maybe it's not so bad that I feel like this…"

He put on his headphones, turned on "Sounds of the Pokémon of the Sea" and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

10 minutes later, while Ash dreamed about becoming a Pokémon Master, Serena stirred from her sleep. Her eyes laid on Ash as he peacefully dreamed away. Serena smiled as she saw the face he was making.

-"Pikachu… Thunderbolt…"

Her smile intensified, Ash and Pikachu's bond was something delightful to see. If Pikachu was there, he'd be asleep but he'd still carry out the command his master; no, his _friend_ gave. That's why Pokémon are kept in the cargo bay or in their Pokéballs.

Still looking at Ash, Serena laid back in her seat and held Ash's hand with her own. As she began to drift away to dreamland (A/N: Area 51), she thought of all the adventures she had with Ash, and all the adventures that were yet to come.

* * *

The red-eye flight. Probably the most boring flight ever… The pilot's flying, the passengers' asleep, and the crew has nothing to do.

Such is the case of a young woman in her 30's, donning the official attire of Air Pidgeot. She walked silently along the corridors of the airplane, making sure the passengers had a nice flying experience. As she walked, she laid eyes on a young couple who were sleeping peacefully, holding hands. She smiled, it reminded her of herself in her younger days. She whispered "how cute…", but immediately covered her mouth when the young girl stirred and looked at her.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" The woman asked, apologizing.

"Hm-mm" Serena nodded, robbing her left eye.

"My apologies," the woman continued. "it's just that, it was walking past you and I saw you and your boyfriend holding hands while sleeping and it reminded me of me and my husband when we were dating…"

Serena blushed a little. She looked at her right hand, intertwined with Ash's left, who still sound asleep.

"We're not dating." Serena confessed, "Not yet, anyway."

"If he's anything like my husband, you will be, don't worry." The woman smiled. Serena felt like she could tell this woman all about Ash. "He was so thick headed when it came to love and romance, but when his armor was cracked, he became such a romantic. The day he proposed to me, he took me to a flowery field in Verdanturf Town in Hoenn. We were surrounded by Beautifly. It looked like a corny romantic movie. I'll never forget it…" The woman put her hands on her cheeks, trying to contain the emotion of remembering her marriage proposal.

"Ash would never do something like that. I don't think he has it in him." Serena commented with a weak smile.

"Oh, don't say stuff…" The woman suddenly stopped. "Ash?"

"Yeah." Serena nodded.

"Ash Ketchum? From Pallet Town, in Kanto?"

"You know him?" Serena whispered, not wanting to wake up the young man.

"I do, and so does my daughter." The woman replied with a smile.

"Dau… Daughter?" A feeling, much like jealousy, was starting to be felt in Serena's heart.

"Hm-mm, you might have heard of her. 'The Princess of Hoenn', they call her."

"Ash knows the Princess of Hoenn? She's the top coordinator in Johto!" Serena silently yelled in disbelief.

"Ash doesn't just know the Princess of Hoenn, he _made_ her the Princess of Hoenn. He taught her everything he knew. If it wasn't for him, she wouldn't be May." The woman stated.

Serena looked at Ash, her eyes filled with a mixture of pride and hurt.

"it's funny actually," The woman continued "I thought my daughter would get through to him, but it was you…" The woman suddenly stopped and covered her mouth with her left hand. "How rude of me! I didn't even ask you your name…"

"It's Serena, nice to meet you." Serena moved her right hand for the woman to shake, but Ash's subconscious grip was too strong, and she didn't want to wake him up.

"Hello, Serena! I'm Caroline."

* * *

**It should be noted that the only reason I made this chapter is for me to use the phrase "red eye flight" on a fanfic :D**

**Hope you enjoyed and thank you!**


	3. in Saffron City

**In this chapter, I'm including a game called Spot the References. There are 4 references hidden in this chapter. The reviewers who get them all, receive a shoutout when chapter 4 is released.**

**Also, I'd like to give a shoutout to Indisrini who helped me with this chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 3 - …in Saffron

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We will be arriving shortly at Saffron City airport. Local time is 3:57 AM, it's a nice 17ºC and the sunrise is expected to occur in the next hour. In the name of everyone from Air Pidgeot, I'd like to welcome you to the Kanto region. We hope your flight experience was pleasant and come fly away with Air Pidgeot."

He always felt a dash of excitement when returning home. His mom, his friends, his Pokémon. They would always support him and his dreams. But today, along with the excitement, he was feeling a bit queasy. It was the first time he did this, after all. He never brought home a girl. Sure, his friends visited him when he returned from his travels, but he had never arrived home alone with a girl. This was sure to spark comments…

The girl beside him stirred. Her journey through dreamland was at an end, for now.

"Good morning, Serena." He greeted her.

Serena opened her eyes and squinted them for a better view. For a fraction of a second, she thought she saw a kid from long ago. But further observation revealed the teenager that kid had become.

"Good morning, Ash." She replied.

Serena still had the events of last night fresh in her mind. The talk with the flight attendant, who turned out to be the mother of the acclaimed Princess of Hoenn, had been quite enlightening.

Ash had traveled with other girls; that was certain. And among them was May, the Princess of Hoenn herself. But there was something that Caroline said that stuck in Serena's mind: "I thought my daughter would get through to him, but it was you." She thought about it until she looked out the window.

"Oh my God!" Serena exclaimed at the astonishing sight.

The lights of Saffron City glinted like stars below them. As they descended further, they could make out individual buildings and houses; then cars; then even people before the plane lurched as it touched down on the runway.

The plane slowed down and eventually halted. The "fasten seatbelts" light, which had been turned on earlier during the final approach, had finally become dark, signaling the end of the flight.

After landing, Serena's thoughts drifted back to her conversation with Caroline. To May. To how close she was to Ash. She didn't like being jealous, but that feeling was getting the best of her. But she decided to put those thoughts in the back of her mind.

But they would occasionally return.

Ash, on the other hand, was ecstatic to be back in Kanto. After stepping out of the plane, he rearranged his hat, opened his arms and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Kanto region! I am home!" which caused the people standing on the airplane to shush him immediately. After asking one of the flight attendants about where to get his Pikachu, Ash started talking about his Pokémon in great detail. He stopped talking only when someone else talked to him.

Arriving at the baggage claim conveyor belt, the teens yawned. It was a long, late-night flight. The sun would be up soon.

Ash proceeded "…and mom makes some of the best food I've ever tasted, just wow…"

Despite Serena being lost in her thoughts, she heard what Ash said and decided to play with him a bit.

She put on her best hurt voice. "Even better than mine?"

Ash was left with a tough choice. He could defend his mom's cooking and face Serena's rage, or take his statement back, saying Serena's the best cook, and possibly be branded a liar later.

But Ash had always been honest and truthful, and he wasn't going to stop now. He turned to her.

"Serena, I'll be honest. On one hand, we have my mom's cooking," he said, raising his left hand. "On the other, we have yours," he continued, raising his right hand. He then proceeded to move them, like plates on a scale, which have similar weight on them, but never settling which is heaviest. "But your sweets…" Ash raised his right hand heavenward, while lowering his left as much as he could.

Serena looked at him, upset. Ash stared at Serena, but he couldn't figure out why. And then he saw it.

"OH!" He lowered his right hand and raised his left. "Sorry, my bad."

Serena smiled. She knew that his intentions were genuine, and so was his mistake. Maybe it wasn't fair of her to make him choose between her and his mother's cooking. Besides, Ash didn't mean anything bad by what he did. Despite that, this discussion about who was the best cook was almost able to let her forget about the conversation with Caroline last night. Almost.

Serena's smile turned sad.

"Ash, can I ask you something?" Serena questioned tentatively.

"Of course, Serena. What is it?" Ash stated.

"How did you survive while you traveled?" It was an odd question, but hopefully Ash wouldn't mind answering it.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked, confused.

"Don't get me wrong, but I've never seen you cook. How did you eat on your journey?" Serena wondered.

"You know, just because you've never seen me do something, doesn't mean I can't do it." Ash commented, mockingly. "But yeah, I can't." He confessed. "On the first few days of my journey, we had sandwiches, Pikachu, Misty and I." Serena's expression, which was proof she was enjoying what Ash was recounting, changed slightly upon hearing Misty's name.

"Then we met Brock and our lives changed. His cooking is just…" Ash noticed Serena's look, and regretted the path he was taking. "Never mind… May did cook for me once… She made me a grilled cheese sandwich. She couldn't find the cheese. She didn't know it could be sold already sliced." Ash recalled fondly.

May. The Princess of Hoenn. Top Coordinator. Former travelling companion of Ash's. Serena just couldn't forget the conversation she had with Caroline the night before.

Serena was just about to ask Ash about May, when Pikachu's cage appeared on the conveyor belt of the baggage claim area.

"Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cheered.

"You know, the airport people in Lumiose never told me why Pikachu couldn't travel with me." Ash wondered. "When I went to Kalos, there wasn't any problem."

Suddenly, a male voice echoed behind the teens.

"Young man," the voice said, "have you tried the Pokémon Gym in Petalburg City?" Ash and Serena turned around to see a man, in his thirties, wearing a red jacket with vertical black lines and dark blue pants. A pair of black boots covered his feet.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Ash?" The mysterious man asked, to which Ash smiled.

"It sure has, Norman!" Ash replied, extending his right hand, an action repeated by Norman.

"Norman, I'd like you to meet my…" Ash froze. How was he supposed to introduce Serena? He hadn't thought about it… Such a simple question became a debate in Ash's mind. What were they to each other? Friends? No, they are closer than that. Boyfriend and girlfriend? No, their accidental kiss did not change their stance towards each other. So, what was the middle ground?

He does feel something for Serena, but doesn't know what it is. But he believed he had found an answer.

"… my close friend, Serena, from Kalos."

Serena smiled as she shook Norman's hand. It was almost as if she could hear Ash's internal debate.

"Kalos?" Norman wondered, "You're a long way from home, Serena. What brings you to Kanto?"

"Ash does." The girl stated. "He won the Kalos league and he's having a party in Pallet." Serena looked at Ash and blushed. Norman's keen eye saw it.

"And you didn't invite me? That hurts, Ash…" Norman said, smiling.

"It's sort of an open invitation. And I was hoping you'd find your way to Pallet." Ash confessed. "May did."

"Haha, I'm just joking." Norman laughed, causing Ash to sweat drop.

"Are you on a family vacation, Norman?" Ash questioned, excited to see his old friends.

"No, just me and my wife" Norman replied. Looking down, Norman saw the cage Pikachu traveled in.

"Ash, I'm intrigued. What's with the cage?" Norman remarked. "I know you'd never do that to your Pokémon, at least not willingly."

"Airline rules. All electric-types are to be either inside of their Pokéballs or on the cargo hold, and since Pikachu doesn't like his Pokéball, the solution was obvious." Ash turned to Pikachu, "But he knows I didn't have a choice, right buddy?"

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed.

"What they didn't tell me, is why." Ash said.

Norman smiled. "I know just the right person."

He reached into his pocket, pulled out his cellphone, pressed a few buttons, and raised it to his ear.

"Hey, honey, it's me". Norman said on the phone. "You'll never guess who I ran into. The new Kalos League Champion! Ash! Yeah!"

Serena took the opportunity and turned to Ash. "Ash, why did Norman talk about the Petalburg Gym?"

"He's the Gym Leader." Ash replied.

"Okay. See you soon. Love you too." Norman said as he hung the phone up. "Caroline will be here in 10 minutes."

Upon hearing Caroline, Serena's head jerked up.

Could it be? Was it the same woman who talked to her on the plane the night before? The same one who saw her and Ash holding hands while sleeping? The same one who told her about May, the Princess of Hoenn? Serena wished it wasn't. She wished it would be someone else, with the same name.

No such luck.

About ten minutes later, a woman with brown hair appeared to be headed in their direction.

She wore a yellow top, held by a white stripe that covered her shoulders. She had an orangy-brown skirt and sandals. A piece of red ribbon was tied on her waist.

_Maybe she just walks past us,_ Serena thought.

"Caroline, over here!" Norman shouted, waving at the woman. Serena sweatdropped.

"Welcome back, honey!"

"Hi, sweetie!" Caroline approached her husband and greeted him with a kiss.

Ash and Serena stood confused as they watched the older couple kiss.

In all his travels, he met many couples but not one of them made such a public display of affection. Serena, on the other hand, had dreamt about that. Not only that, she had also stayed awake thinking about that. Their "makeshift" kiss in the Champion's Hall was such a moment, but she wasn't sure on how to classify it, because it wasn't intended.

She looked at Ash, blushing. It caused him to turn to her, and her blush made him blush, which in turn made her blush even more. They just wanted that awkwardness to be over.

It had barely begun.

The older couple broke their kiss after what felt like hours to Ash and Serena, but was actually just a few seconds.

"So, did you get it?" Norman asked.

"No," Caroline shook her head, "a woman named Emily got it."

"Oh, I'm sorry, dear…" Norman said, trying to comfort his wife.

"I'm not. Their hours were too complicated. Besides," Caroline's voice became more seductive as she grabbed her husband's collar, "I can stay at the Gym with you…"

"Oh…" Norman smiled at Caroline.

Knowing where it was headed, and to save Serena and himself from further embarrassment, Ash kicked the cage Pikachu had arrived in. He kicked it hard enough for it to make a sound, but not hard enough for it to go too far.

Norman and Caroline snapped back into reality.

"Oh, sorry, Ash!" Norman apologized. "Caroline, you remember Ash, right?"

"How could I forget? He's the only thing May talked about, as well as Max." Caroline greeted Ash with a handshake. "Hello, Mr. Champion!"

Ash smiled. "Hello, Mrs. Maple! What are you doing here?" He inquired.

"Well, a friend of mine told me Air Pidgeot was hiring, and I've always wanted to know how they do their job, so I applied for it. They had 7 applicants and they put us in a trial-by-fire situation with mystery flyers being hired to evaluate us. I was doing fine, until I stopped to talk to you." Caroline revealed.

Serena was speechless. She liked talking to Caroline the night before, and now she found that that same conversation had cost Caroline her chance for a new job…

"Mrs. Maple, you lost your job because of our talk?" Serena questioned with a cracking voice.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Caroline waved her hand. "Don't worry. The other applicant on the plane, a woman named Holly Gennero, told me that the woman who got the job won by a mile. So, don't worry about it, and turn that frown upside down." She put one hand on Serena's shoulder. "I'm sure Ash here wouldn't want to see his girlfriend sad, now would he?" She turned to Ash.

"No, I wouldn't." was Ash's instinctive reply. Serena started blushing redder than ever before. Caroline and Norman just smiled.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

That was the number of seconds it took Ash to fully assimilate what Caroline had said. After he did, he blushed and asked with a stutter "Wh-what do y-you mean?

"Last night, when you were sleeping, I was talking to Serena, and you were very keen on not releasing her hand. To me, that's something." Caroline commented.

Ash suddenly felt the need to learn Dig, just so that he could hide. He was asleep, he wasn't aware of his actions.

Seeing a bit of himself in Ash, and remembering what he was like, Norman decided to help Ash, by changing the subject.

"Caroline, do you know why Ash couldn't bring Pikachu in his lap?" Norman steered the conversation.

"You mean you don't know, Ash?" Caroline questioned, to which Ash shook his head.

"They should have told you that when you were to board the plane." Caroline remarked.

"Well, in their defense, it was a busy day for them…" Serena commented.

About two years ago, there was an incident on a plane heading to the Orange Archipelago…" Caroline started explaining, but noticed a metallic object on the floor.

"Ash, maybe you should return that cage. The booth's over there." She pointed to the left. "Meanwhile, Norman, why don't you be a dear and get us a rental car?" Caroline told her husband.

Norman looked around and found what he was looking for.

"The red and white booth, right?" Norman confirmed.

Norman looked around and saw what he was looking for.

"Yes. Get us a car that seats 5 people, we might give them a ride." Caroline informed.

She then looked around. After seeing that both Ash and Norman were far enough, she turned to Serena.

"I have to talk fast, they might hurry." Caroline whispered, to Serena's amazement.

"Even a blind man can see you're in love with Ash." Serena blushed, but Caroline continued. "I don't know if you want my advice, but I'll give it anyway. Go for it. Make a move."

"But what if it ruins our friendship?" Serena asked, worried.

Caroline looked around again. Ash was starting to make his way back. Caroline guessed she had about 30 seconds to quell Serena's doubts.

"Don't worry about that. There's no reason to. Trust me." She calmed the girl down. And she did so just in time for Ash to join them.

"What are you guys talking about?" Ash asked curiously.

"I was asking Serena if she knew what route you will take to Pallet." Caroline replied, with a knowing smile to Serena, who smiled back.

Ash pondered on that. He hadn't given it any thought. He wanted to hurry home, but maybe Serena wanted to see the sights. Hurrying home would take them a few hours, through Diglett's Cave, but taking the scenic route would make their journey longer by at least two days, through Mt. Moon and Pewter City… unless…

Ash snapped his fingers. "I got it!" he exclaimed, before running off. Five seconds later, he returned, with his hand on the back of his head, and asked where the Pokémon Center was, causing Serena to sweat drop.

Caroline laughed. "It's to the right, Ash. You'll see the sign." Ash thanked Caroline and ran off, leaving the women to converse.

About five minutes later, Ash returned to where he had left Serena and Caroline, who were now joined by Norman.

"Did you get what you needed?" Serena asked.

"Yes, we're good to go." Ash replied, with a big smile.

"I guess I should finish the story, then…" Caroline commented when they were walking towards the exit. "So, there was this 5-year-old boy with an Elekid who wasn't in his Pokéball. When the plane was in the air, the Elekid got scared and its Static engulfed the plane's fuselage, causing damage to some of the gauges of the plane. When the pilots found out the reason for the damage, they did all they could to calm Elekid down, but to no avail. One girl had to put Elekid to sleep…"

Ash and Serena stopped. They couldn't believe their ears. Both Ash and Serena's eyes were open in shock. Serena had her hands covering her mouth.

"…with a Sleep Powder attack."

The teens blinked in disbelief at Caroline's poor choice of words.

"There were no injuries to report, but they added a rule that all Electric-types were to travel in their Pokéballs or in cages, in the cargo hold. A bit heartless, if you ask me, but they want to protect their customers, so I get it." Caroline finished.

"That makes sense, I guess, I wouldn't want Pikachu to hurt anyone… except maybe Team Rocket…" Ash commented.

The group shared a laugh at the expense of the determined semi-evil trio.

"So, Ash, can we give you a lift?" Norman questioned.

"Actually, no, Norman. Thank you, though." Ash replied, earning a hurtful look from Serena.

"Are you sure, Ash? Caroline insisted.

"I am, don't worry." Ash's smile was increasing in size.

"Then this is where we part ways, Ash, Serena." Norman commented. "You should visit Petalburg sometime."

"I will. Say hi to Max and May for me!" Ash exclaimed as he waved farewell to his friends' parents.

Serena turned to Ash. "Ash Ketchum, you better tell me what you have in mind. I'm very tired from the flight. I can barely feel my feet…"

"When Caroline talked about what route we'd take to Pallet, I thought of two choices:" Ash revealed, as he walked towards the street. "We could go through Diglett's Cave and arrive in Pallet in a few hours, or take the scenic route, adding two, maybe three days of traveling to our schedule."

"I don't feel like walking for one hour, let alone two days… Isn't there another way?" Serena complained.

Ash's smile reappeared. "There is. In that building." He pointed to a building about 10 stories tall.

xxxxx

"Oh, my God! It's amazing!" Serena beamed. "It's just so beautiful!"

Ash smiled. He himself had had that reaction when he first laid eyes on the landscape of Saffron City, viewed from the top of the Silph Co. building observatory.

Saffron City is remarkably calm at night, despite its large size. The lateness of the night, or the earliness of the morning, depending on one's view, forced the streetlights to still be on, due to the lack of natural light present. The dark color that covered the sky was changing, ever so slowly, hiding the few visible stars that dotted the firmament.

Looking north from the entrance of the roof, towards Celadon City, allowed one to see the Department Store building with the lights still on. To their west, the Vermillion Sea was could barely be seen. On their east, only a few lights in Cerulean City were visible. If they looked to their south, a marvelous sight. The Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town blocked the view of the sun, which was spreading its light everywhere.

"I'll admit, it is quite amazing, but I've seen things that are more beautiful." Ash stated as he walked towards Serena.

Serena looked to her left and saw Ash standing there, looking at the horizon, She then attempted something that didn't go too well in Courmarine City, in Kalos: she tried to hold Ash's hand. Ash didn't pull his hand away, at first. When he did, he brushed it against his jacket, saying "It's a bit sweaty, sorry" and handing her his own hand.

Serena was on top of the world. She knew that moment would have to end, but she didn't care. Ash held out _his_ hand for her to hold.

"So," Ash broke the silence, "you don't want to walk? I got just the thing."

Ash let go of Serena's hand, much to her dismay, and grabbed a Pokéball from his belt. After clicking the button to expand it, he threw it into the air and a draconic lizard materialized.

"Charizard, can you take us somewhere, please?" Ash requested his Pokémon.

Charizard nodded and bowed, allowing the trainers to climb on his back.

"Serena," Ash warned, "you might want to keep your hat in your bag." Serena complied.

Ash climbed on Charizard's back and offered Serena his hand for her to do the same. He whispered something in Charizard's ear, to which the Pokémon grunted and took off. Serena put her arms around Ash to avoid falling into almost certain death.

"Before we go to Pallet, we're gonna go somewhere first, okay?" Ash informed, speaking loudly so Serena could hear him, due to the rushing wind passing them.

"Where?" Serena replied with the same volume.

"We're visiting an old friend." Ash revealed.


	4. on the way to Pallet

**So, here we are. Another day, another chapter.**

**I hope you enjoy chapter 4 of What Happens. I'lll do my best to bring you the rest of the story ASAP.**

* * *

"Ash, who are we going to see?" Serena asked.

"You'll see! I think you'll like it!" Ash replied.

"But Ash, it's late. And I'm tired…" Serena retorted. "Maybe we should just spend the rest of the night at the Pokémon Center."

Ash knew she was right. He was excited about going home, and that masked the fact that he was feeling a but weary himself…

"Charizard," Ash commanded, "slow down. Take us to the Pewter City Pokémon Center."

The Pokémon complied with its trainer's command, and adjusted its speed and trajectory…

"Thank you", Serena smiled. "Some more sleep will do you good, and me too. Besides, the only thing keeping Pikachu awake is the wind on his face…"

Charizard flew down towards the Pokémon Center and landed softly on the ground, Ash climbed down and waited for Serena to do the same before recalling Charizard.

As they entered the Pokémon Center, they were kindly greeted by Nurse Joy.

"Hello and welcome to the Pokémon Center!"

"Nurse Joy, good evening. We'd like a room, please." Ash said to the young woman.

"I'm sorry, but we're out of rooms with single beds… Unless you don't mind sharing a bed, you'll have to rent two rooms." The nurse informed the trainers.

Serena's face became tomato red upon the thought of sharing a bed with Ash.

"I don't mind…" She said.

"I don't mind either…"Ash confirmed.

"Okay, then. Here's the keycard. It's the second door on the right." Nurse Joy handed Ash the keycard.

"Thank you!" The trainers said in unison as they walked to the door of their room.

"Be safe!" Nurse Joy called out from a distance to the two young trainers, to which Serena blushed, while Ash just wondered "I wonder what she meant by that…"

Ash inserted the keycard in the slot and turned the doorknob to the right, unlocking the door. Opening it, the teens saw a king-size bed, as Nurse Joy had described. There was also a table and a few chairs surrounding it. The bathroom door was located beside the bed, which was being bathed in the moonlight, which slipped past the blinds in the window.

"Which side do you want?" Ash questioned.

"Either side is fine." Serena replied.

"Then I'll take the right side." Ash said as he sat down on the bed. The softness of the mattress reminded him of how sleepy he was, which surprised him. He couldn't fight that feeling for long…

He took his backpack and placed it by the nightstand. Pikachu climbed down from its trainer's shoulder and curled up into a ball, falling asleep.

Serena took her sleep clothes from her bag, placed it on the nightstand and entered the bathroom. She changed her clothes and brushed her teeth, which took her less than five minutes. When she returned to the bedroom, the sight before her made her smile.

Ash was sound asleep, with Pikachu curled up next to him. Both of them had the moonlight behind them, causing Serena's sleepy eyes to see both of them glow.

She got into bed, turned to face Ash, kissed his forehead and whispered "Good night, Ash," before adding "I love you."

Serena woke up when the light seemed to pierce her eyelids. She even covered her eyes with her left hand, but the damage was done. She was awake. Beside her, only Ash's most trusted partner remained in bed.

Serena sat upright on the bed, stretched her arms and got up, taking care not to wake her close friends' Pokémon. She grabbed her regular clothes and walked into the bathroom to change.

Ash walked into the room after leaving all of his Pokémon except Pikachu with Nurse Joy to check up on their health. As soon as he entered the room, he was amazed at the sound that echoed in the air. Serena, who was unaware of Ash's presence, nonchalantly whistled a melody they had heard in Kalos, namely in Laverre City, which is where Serena stepped into the spotlight regarding girls. Ash walked over to the bed, where Pikachu slept and woke him.

"Come on, buddy. Today's a big day." He whispered to the Pokémon. Ash wanted Serena to hurry, but didn't want her whistling to stop, so he decided to wait for her to finish and go to the window. As Ash looked through the glass, he wondered about how much had Pallet changed while he was in Kalos. He was so focused on his thoughts, he didn't notice the whistling stop.

"Ash?" A voice brought him back to reality.

"Huh?" Ash saw Serena gather her backpack and place it on her back.

"Something wrong?" She asked, worry noticeable in her voice.

"No, nothing." Ash shook his head. "I was just admiring the view... but come on, we have to go."

Picking up his backpack and slinging it over his shoulders, he shook Pikachu up to wake him.

"Come on, buddy." Ash said as he shook the Pokémon. Pikachu, upon being shaken, released a thunderbolt, hitting its trainer, who got the message: never shake a sleeping Pikachu.

Serena smiled at the scene as she helped Ash up.

"I didn't want to bring out the big guns, but you forced my hand." Ash confessed. "Pikachu, after breakfast, I'll give you a bit of ketchup."

"Pika…" The Pokémon protested.

"Okay, a spoonful of ketchup…" Ash relented.

Pikachu smirked victoriously, and climbed into its trainer's shoulder.

"We go home today, Pikachu, you can sleep all you want tomorrow." Ash commented as he closed the door to the bedroom, headed to the cafeteria.

"Sometimes, you just gotta bribe them…" Ash joked, and Serena laughed.

After eating, Ash paid for his meal, as well as Serena's, which surprised her, and after Pikachu finished his spoonful of ketchup, they got up and went to the lobby.

Ash handed the room's key to Nurse Joy and thanked her for letting them use the facilities. As Ash filled the satisfaction report, the doors opened and a man in a white lab coat entered.

"Good morning, Dr. Brock." Nurse Joy greeted the man.

"Funny, I have a friend named Brock who's a Pokémon doctor…" Ash commented. While Ash spoke, Brock signaled Nurse Joy and Serena to stay quiet. "He was a fantastic cook, his food is comparable to Clemont's… Oh, and he couldn't see a pretty girl without hitting on her…"

"Yeah, but I developed an immunity to poison-types thanks to that…" Brock stated.

Ash turned around and saw his old friend, who travelled with him through Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh.

"Brock!" "Pika!" Ash and Pikachu greeted their old friend, as Ash extended his hand.

"What are you doing here?" Ash questioned.

"My job." Brock replied, proudly. "I'm the doctor in this Pokémon center."

"That's amazing!" Ash continued.

"Thank you, and Ash, who is this young lady?" Brock turned to Serena.

Serena stepped forward and introduced herself.

"I'm Serena from Vaniville Town in Kalos." She extended her hand for Brock to shake.

Brock took her hand and was just about to say something when he was interrupted by Ash.

"Brock, she's... hum... off-limits." Ash revealed.

Brock was unsure of what he meant by that until he figured it out. It's one of those things, you can't see it until you see it. And once you see it, you can't unsee it.

Brock let out an "Oh, I see..." and smiled and shook Serena's hand.

"So you're Serena... Ash has told me so much about you. Welcome to Pewter City, I'm Dr. Brock, also known as Doctor Love and former Gym Leader of Pewter Gym. You know how Ash got my Gym's badge? He turned on the sprinkler system."

Serena laughed, while Ash only said "Not my finest hour..."

"So, Ash, did you win the Kalos League?" Brock asked. "I was watching the match bit there was an emergency..."

"I did, that's why we're going home to Pallet." Ash informed "Mom's throwing a party. But I have to go see someone first."

"Who?" Brock questioned.

Ash approached Brock and whispered something in his right ear. Brock smiled, "You should do that!" he said.

Ash stated, "You could come with us!"

The breeder-turned-doctor smiled weakly. "I wish I could, but I have to stay here in case there's an emergency…"

Upon hearing those words, Nurse Joy interjected. "I'm sorry to intrude on your conversation, but I don't mind you going with them. Just make sure to keep your PokéGear with you in case I call."

"That's great! Thank you, Nurse Joy!" Brock commented. "That's why you're my favorite Nurse Joy in Kanto!"

"Oh, stop, you're making me blush…"

Brock smiled to his friends. "That settles it. It'll be fun to seen ever…"

Brock couldn't even finish the sentence. The sound of an ambulance cut through the air. As the ambulance stopped, the EMTs brought in a Pidgey in a stretcher.

"This Pidgey needs help!" One of the EMTs yelled.

Brock, who was chatting with his friends, looked at Ash, who just aid, "Go. We'll wait." And with that, the Pokémon doctor made his way to the room where Pidgey was.

Ash placed his backpack on a nearby couch and sat down, motioning Serena to do the same.

"Brock, huh?" Serena broke the silence.

"Yeah, he's always trying to get a girl, but he always fails. But he never fails to cook an amazing meal, that's for sure." Ash recalled, amused.

"How so? Is he better than me?" Serena complained, sort of jokingly.

"Brock has had a really tough life. His dad walked out on him and his siblings when they were young. After a while, his mom, unable to cope with all the responsibility, did the same, leaving all of the kids in Brock's hands. So, he learned how to cook. And on top of that, there was the gym. Denying a challenge because he was too tired would cost his the Gym's license, meaning no income. He only managed to come with me because his dad had a change of heart." Ash explained. "You like to cook. Brock had to learn to like to cook."

Serena was shocked. Astonished. She didn't know Brock's childhood had been so rough. Her expression became heavy, which got Ash's attention.

"Serena, what's wrong?" Ash asked as he approached her.

"I try not to judge people, Ash, but I ended up judging Brock just because you said he cooks better than me…" The girl confessed.

Ash was unsure of what to do. He had never seen Serena look so sad, even when she lost her performance debut. So he did what his instinct told him.

He scooted over to her and placed his arm behind her head, reaching her left shoulder.

"Serena, look at me." Ash instructed and Serena complied.

"I told you Brock's story to explain why he's a better cook than you. I don't think you need to apologize to anyone because of that, but if you feel the need to, you should apologize to Brock." Ash informed her, looking straight into her eyes. "Also, I didn't want to make you feel like this. That was never my intention. So, for that, I'm sorry."

As Serena heard Ash's words, she turned to face him. His eyes were so calming, so relaxing, like a balm for her heart.

When Ash finished talking, he found himself unwillingly staring into Serena's sapphire eyes. And he felt an urge, one he had been feeling since Laverre City, he wanted to hold Serena, to protect her. Ash's gaze fell down to Serena's lips, and he felt strangely drawn to them, as if they were magnets charged with a different polarity than his own lips.

Relying on the attraction pulling them together, both of them closed their eyes, allowing instinct to take hold for a second. Which was all they got.

The bell rang, meaning the Pokémon that was being treated was now out of harm's way. Brock emerged into the lobby, to find his friends red as a Tamato Berry.

"Ash, you lucky dog…" He whispered to himself. "Guys, I'm free, shall we go now?" He said out loud, for his friends to hear him.

"Y-yes, let's go." Ash said, moving frantically.

"Yes, we should go…" Serena spoke softly.

Ash, Serena and Brock left the Pokémon Center and headed to the south exit of Pewter City, on route to the Viridian Forest.

Brock was aware he had interrupted their moment, but he had to do it, otherwise, they'd never move. But he was going to help them, in his own little way.

Ash was upset. The reason why he was that way, he didn't know. Maybe because Brock had interrupted him back at the Pokémon Center.

Serena was disappointed, because that kiss-that-almost-was would be their real first kiss, with intention, feeling and spur of the moment, not awkward and accidental like the one on the Champion's Hall.

"So, Ash," Brock questioned, breaking the silence, "who are you travelling with now?"

Ash smiled as he recalled his current travelling companions. "I'm travelling with Serena, who you know," he smiled at Serena, who walked beside him, "as well as Clemont and Bonnie. Clemont's the Gym Leader of Lumiose City, an amazing cook and an inventor, and Bonnie's his little sister." At the mention of cooking, Serena lowered her head, recalling what Ash told her about Brock.

"Ah," Brock commented, "so it's almost like the Hoenn days, but without me and May."

"Something like that", Ash laughed.

As they were enjoying their conversation, Brock's PokéGear rang. He answered it, looked at Ash, and smiled.

"Okay, I'll tell him, bye!" He ended the call and turned to Ash. "Ash, where's your backpack?"

"Oh, man! I can't believe I forgot it! May's half-ribbon is in there!" Ash commented. "You guys go on ahead, I'll catch up in no time."

"It's fine, we can wait." Serena replied before turning to Brock. "You don't mind waiting, do you?"

"No, it's okay, go get your stuff." Brock informed.

As Ash ran back towards the Pewter City Pokémon Center, Serena nervously kicked the ground at her feet, as she thought of the best way to apologize to Brock for judging him.

"Brock…" "Serena..." Both the performer and the breeder-turned-doctor said in unison, before Brock signaled Serena to keep talking, saying "Ladies first."

Serena's expression became slightly heavier. "After Ash told me you were a really good cook, I got sort of jealous, but then he told me your story, what you went through, and I just felt bad for judging you so readily."

Brock was amazed at this girl's honesty and sincerity. Needless to say, he wasn't used to that.

"Wow," Brock said, "this is a first… just to clarify, you're jealous of my cooking skills?"

Serena nodded. "In a way, but mostly of the way he referred to you, as if you were a master cook." Serena confessed.

Brock smiled, reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and a pen. He scribbled something in the paper and handed it to Serena. "That's my e-mail." Brock informed. "Feel free to ask for recipes and advice, be it cooking for all four of you, or just you and Ash…" He smiled.

Serena started to blush and tried to deflect the topic. "Th-thanks!" She stuttered, before turning her head towards the road leading to Pewter City.

Brock looked to the road, as if following Serena's gaze. They were both checking if Ash was back on the road. As he couldn't be seen anywhere, Brock decided to ask Serena the million-dollar-question.

"Hey, Serena, how long had you been in love with Ash?"

Ash ran as fast as he could towards the Pokémon Center. The houses on the sides of the road became blurry, along with the vegetation with no details being visible to him. The people he encountered, or rather, who encountered him, wondered about the reason for his hurry.

He didn't want to make his friends wait, so as soon as he reached his destination, he entered the Pokémon Center, ran over to the lobby, asked for his backpack, thanked Nurse Joy and as quickly as he had arrived, he left.

As Ash ran, he thought of how his friends would accept Serena. Would they like her? Would she feel like an outcast? Would his mom bombard Serena with questions? How would his Pokémon react? So many questions…

As he moved closer to where his friends awaited him, Ash slowed down and began walking in their direction.

"Brock, you're like the big brother I never had." He heard Serena exclaim.

"Thank you, Serena! It means a lot!" Brock continued.

"So, you guys got along?" Ash asked as he approached them.

"Yeah, Brock's super nice and helpful." Serena commented, smiling.

"And so is Serena. I'm starting to see why you lik…" Brock, looking at a blushing Serena, stopped. "Nevermind, let's go."

As the group walked down the road, Ash began to recall all the adventures he has had over the years.

"This road brings back so many memories…" Ash commented.

"Yeah, most of them are Team Rocket digging holes for us to fall into." Brock recalled. "We were so dumb…"

Serena looked at Ash with a surprised look on her face. "Holes? They dug holes?"

"Yeah, like really big holes and covered them with leaves and branches. Let me put it this way: if you were to mark all the holes they did in the maps of Kanto, Johto and Hoenn, you'd have a message in Braille. On all the routes." Brock revealed.

As if on cue, the group felt the ground give way under their feet. The traditional feeling of wanting to shout "Who did this?" almost took hold of Ash, if he hadn't seen that Serena was clutching her right arm, next to the shoulder.

"Serena, are you okay?" A concerned Ash questioned.

"Yeah, I'm fine, it's just a scratch." The girl reassured him.

"This, Serena, is what I was talking about." Brock explained. "Sudden holes appearing in the middle of the road. I'm expecting Team Rocket to show up and bust some rhymes."

But silence is what followed. No one came to them, no blue-haired man, no pink-haired woman, no talking Meowth.

"Strange, they should be here by now…" Brock commented.

"Maybe it's one of those they left behind…" Ash hypothesized.

"Maybe we should get back up, guys." Serena joked.

Ash stated to climb out of the hole and before long, he was out. He reached out his hand to help Serena, who gladly took his hand and climbed up, kneeling next to Ash.

The two younger teens stood next to each other, each assessing the other's status, making sure the other was okay. Their friend stayed in the hole, and observed what was happening.

"I'll rescue myself, then." Brock joked.

Ash and Serena kept checking each other for signs of injury. Suddenly, they hear a voice coming from behind them.

"Shall we get going?" Brock's voice spoke.

"Brock, when did you get out of the hole?" Ash questioned.

"When you too were checking each other out, just a few minutes ago." Brock replied, smiling. "You became so blind to your surroundings, you didn't notice that I got out of the hole. But nonetheless, we should get going."

Ash and Serena looked at each other, blushed and looked away towards Brock. The doctor could just smile, "You guys…" as the started walking towards the forest.

Soon, the teens arrived at a gate leading to the Viridian Forest. The enormous trees inside were visible from the group's location.

"Ash, I've been thinking. Why don't you make an entrance in Pallet?" Brock suggested.

"An entrance?" Ash and Serena said in unison.

"Yeah, every year you go back home by foot, but this time it's different. You put Pallet on the map. You should arrive in style." The doctor continued.

"And how do I do that?" Ash questioned.

"You have any flying Pokémon on you?" Brock inquired.

"Talonflame's not big enough to ride and Noivern, can only carry one person. Oh, I have Charizard!" Ash confirmed.

"Good, give me Charizard. I'll go ahead." Brock suggested. "It'll give you a lift."

Serena didn't know what the boys were talking about, but when Ash handed Charizard's Pokéball to Brock, she realized she had lost her ride. 'How would arriving in style be possible if there was no Charizard?', she wondered.

"I'll go ahead, see you soon." Brock informed before opening Charizard's Pokéball, and telling it to take him to Pallet.

After Brock left, there was no sound to be heard, except for the rustling of the trees caused by the wind. But Ash broke that silence.

"When I started my journey, I wasn't that much of a trainer. I tried to catch a Pidgey by making it think I was wearing my pajamas." Ash stated. "But after that I caught a Pokémon, my second capture, and it stood by me through thick and thin. I left it here," Ash pointed at the forest, "to take care of its friends and promised to return when I had finished the Orange League, a promise I never fulfilled. Without it, I wouldn't have done anything that I accomplished." Ash stopped.

As Ash turned to face Serena, she saw an energy in his eyes that surpassed anything she has ever seen in them.

"Today, Serena," Ash smiled, "is the day I fulfill that promise."

Ash took a few steps forward until he was about to enter the forest, raised his hands to his mouth, to amplify and direct his voice and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"PIDGEOT!"

* * *

A young boy hung around the Viridian Pokémon Center. He had heard his friend won the Kalos League, and so he came to Pallet, hoping to surprise him. After all, they promised to battle whenever possible, and it seemed the time had finally come.

Suddenly, a loud cry came from above. As the kid looked up to see what was happening, he saw the dragon-like wings and flaming tail of a Pokémon he hadn't seen in a while.

"It's him!" He remarked to himself.

He adjusted his glasses, looking hard to try and see the Pokémon's trainer on its back. The boy wanted to surprise his friend, but it he was on Charizard's back, there was no way it would happen.

The boy looked on, with a resolute expression. He'd reach pallet as fast as he could. As sure as his shirt was green and his shorts, so comfy and easy to wear, were brown, he'd be the winner of their match. For he was the son of the Petalburg Gym Leader.

"I gotta wake her up." Max exclaimed.

* * *

**So, did you like it? Let me know!**


	5. In the Air and On the Ground

**So, here we are... I've been busy, so that means no writing, but that doesn't mean I'm done with this. Oh no.**

**I've got some BIG plans for this.**

**I bring you Chapter 5 of What Happens: In the Air and On the Ground.**

* * *

"Pidgeot!" The Kalos chapion's voice echoed through the forest, startling many Pokémon inside.

"Ash," Serena spoke softly, "how long has it been since you left Pidgeot here?"

Ash smiled sheepishly. "A while. A _long _while."

"Maybe Pidgeot moved. As you said, it's been a while…" Serena stated, which made Ash bring his head down in shame.

"I should have come back sooner…" Ash said to himself, coldly.

Serena looked at Ash and immediately regretted what she had said. She walked over to Ash, placed her hands on his cheeks, and smiled reassuringly.

"Hey, remember what you told me when we were kids? 'Never give up until the end!'" Serena spoke softly.

"But what if the end has already come?" Ash replied, somberly.

Serena was caught off-guard by Ash's words. The ever-optimistic boy she admired so much, seemed to have withered. She simply couldn't bear seeing Ash like that. Seeing as there as nothing else to try, Serena took the matter into her hands.

She let go of Ash, turned around to the forest, and called out to Pidgeot.

Ash saw her. That girl he had met all those years ago, whose life he saved, who was always concerned for his safety, who he thought of as unique. He saw what she was doing. She was not giving up. And neither should he.

Ash approached Serena, stood beside her, grabbed her hand and called out to the bird Pokémon.

As if on cue, a gust of wind blew past the trainers, sending Serena's hat flying and Ash's Pikachu hanging to his trainer's coat for safety. After that, there was a chirp. A chirp that lifted their hearts, and brought a smile to their faces.

"Pidjo!"

"Pidgeot!" Ash and Serena exclaimed as the bird Pokémon landed softly beside them. Ash let go of Serena's hand, excited as he was to run over to Pidgeot. Seeing Ash pet the bird Pokémon, his oldest Pokémon since Pikachu made Serena smile. She even laughed a bit when Pidgeot used its wing to tackle Ash to the ground and started tickling its trainer. It truly was a sight to behold.

"Pidgeot, do you mind taking us to Pallet Town?" Ash requested. Pidgeot complied and nodded at the trainers, telling them it was okay to climb to climb aboard. Ash climbed first and placed himself behind Pidgeot's neck, shortly before the wings. Having positioned himself correctly, he held his hand out to Serena, who gladly took it. After climbing onto Pidgeot's back, Serena wrapped her hands around Ash, both for stability and comfort, something Ash had started to enjoy.

"Ready, Serena?" Ash questioned.

"Ready, Ash!" Serena replied.

Ash commanded Pidgeot to fly and, before she knew it, Serena was admiring the peaceful and quiet atmosphere of the outskirts of Pallet Town. The grassy fields made the town feel so calm and inviting, Serena wondered for a second what it would be like to live there. _"Perhaps one day, when Ash and I get married,"_ she thought.

Suddenly, Pidgeot began to cry and slide to the right. Ash grabbed Pikachu and put it inside his bag.

"Ash, what's happening?" Serena queried.

"I don't know, but I don't like it," he commented.

Pidgeot began to fall even more to the right, and the teens were struggling to hold on, but eventually it was too much and Serena fell. Ash grabbed her as best he could but it was not enough.

Falling from such a great height caused Serena to yell in fear, while Ash watched, powerless to save her…

A scream startled the pair. As they looked around them, it became evident to them the sound had its origin above them and, just as they realized it, a young girl became visible falling from the heavens.

May didn't think twice. Releasing a Pokémon from its Pokéball, she called out a command.

"Venusaur, catch her with Vine Whip!"

Two large vines sprang out and caught the girl in mid-air, saving her from her doom.

Serena could only stare in awe at the majestic Pokémon which saved her life. The large crown protruding from the flower in its back is simply delightful, Serena thought, as she scanned the Pokémon with the Pokédex:

"Venusaur, the Seed Pokémon. There is a large flower on Venusaur's back. The flower is said to take on vivid colors if it gets plenty of nutrition and sunlight. The flower's aroma soothes the emotions of people."

"Thank Arceus you're okay! You're okay, aren't you?" A girl shouted as Serena was being pulled towards Venusaur.

"Yes, I am, thanks to you and your Venusaur. I fell from Pidgeot and that would have been been quite a rough landing…" Serena replied as the girl told Venusaur to return to its Pokéball.

"You have a Pidgeot?" The young boy next to the girl questioned.

"No, not me, my boy- my friend does…" It was only then it hit her. She barely survived that fall. The tears started welling up in her eyes until she could no longer contain them.

"Why are you crying?" The girl asked, concerned.

"I've been travelling with a friend. He's my everything, and I almost died just now, without having told him I love him." Serena explained, sobbing.

"Girl stuff…" The boy stated.

"Max! Can't you see she's upset?"

"This is your department, May. Do that thing you did when Drew broke up with Soledad." Max responded.

"Look", May tried to appease the sobbing girl, rubbing her back, "you're alive. Focus on that. Next time you see him, go right ahead and kiss him. Words are cheap. Don't tell him, show him."

All of a sudden, the wind picked up as a large flying Pokémon approached them.

"Serena!" A voice echoed though the fields north of Pallet Town.

"Wait…" May whispered.

"I know that voice…" Max remarked.

The bird Pokémon landed near them, and Ash came running towards Serena. At the sight of him, the Kalos Queen immediately got up and ran to her friend, astonishing the siblings. Once they met, they embraced each other and, just when Serena was about to act on her savior's advice, they hear a voice…

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Alf."

* * *

**You guys liked it? Let me know!**

**Expect more of this, but don't expect it soon. I should be editing images...**


	6. In Pallet

**Here is is, the long awaited last chapter of "What Happens". This chapter is, by FAR, the biggest thing I've ever written. **

**A MASSIVE thank you to indysrini, who beta-read this for me and helped me write some parts.**

**Enjoy, s'il-vous-plaît.**

* * *

Ash made sure Serena had not been harmed by that nasty fall, by looking up and down her body repeatedly, asking if she was okay. Something Ash would do if one of his friends got hurt.

Then Ash went out of character and hugged Serena. He held her so hard she had to ask him to let her go.

May and Max looked at each other, with a quizzical on their faces. Knowing Ash like they did, they knew Ash wasn't the kind of guy who would bear hug people. That is, until he couldn't help it.

"Ah, love's a beautiful thing." May concluded, crossing her arms.

"Love? Come on…" Max retorted as he walked away.

"Really? What would Vivi Winstrate think if she saw you now…" May replied, teasing her brother.

Max froze. He didn't want to be reminded of the young girl who broke his heart.

"Well, so much for the entrance." Ash commented, to which Serena, who was now free of Ash's embrace, laughed. Seeing her laugh, made him smile. "How did you survive?" Ash questioned, curious.

"That girl saved me. Her Venusaur used Vine Whip to catch me and bring me here." Serena reported.

Ash looked at the girl Serena mentioned. She looked like one of his friends, but he wasn't sure until she spoke.

"Hello, Ash. Or should I say 'Champion'?"

"May, how are you?" Ash walked over to the coordinator, indicating Serena to do the same. "You saved Serena? Thank you!"

"Oh, it's nothing, don't worry." May smiled. "You got yourself a keeper, Ash."

"Keeper? No, she's a performer." Ash replied, innocently.

"Guys, it's not like we're on a schedule or anything," Max interrupted, "but I'm sure Ash would like to visit his Pokémon and his mom…"

"And you're already tired, aren't you?" May questioned the child.

"I'm not tired, I just have less energy than before. It's normal." Max retorted.

"Max is right, we can talk while we walk. Besides, Brock is already there and is waiting for us." Ash reported.

As the group started to walk towards Pallet Town, it came to Ash's attention that he hadn't properly introduced Serena to his friends. He did so, pointing out that she's his special friend, something to which May raised an eyebrow, because she didn't think Ash could have that in him. She commented that with Serena who smiled at the girl's words. Serena pointed out that she had met up with May's mother on the plane to Kanto, and that she had said the same thing, to which May simply laughed.

As for Ash and Max, they talked about Pokémon battles, what else? Max told Ash he got all the badges in Hoenn, defeating even his own father, but then lost in the League. Ash noted that Max was still sad about it, so he told him that, when he turned 10 and gotten his Pokémon Trainer license, he overslept, and could not get the Pokémon he originally wanted. But that because of that, he got to meet Pikachu, and that he should never give up, because the destination isn't what's important, the journey is, and that nothing he ever did was a waste.

While Ash and Max talked, May placed her thumbs and index fingers in the form on a rectangle, and placed it over her eye. She then proceeded to start talking about something called "May's Expedition" and that today's episode was special, because she was featuring Ash Ketchum's girlfriend, a rare specimen, never before seen in the wild… Serena just sweat dropped.

While the pairs talked down the road, they did not understand that they were very close to Pallet Town, and all that separated the group from the peaceful town, was a simple run downhill.

Ash looked at the houses and thought how much things had stayed the same, and yet changed in so many ways.

The group decided to head into Professor Oak's lab to visit Ash's Pokémon, but were unable to do so, because the lab was closed. Wait, Prof. Oak's lab, closed? That just couldn't be. Well, if Professor Oak couldn't be found at his lab, he would certainly be at Ash's house. For some odd reason, he'd always be there.

Ash opened the front door of his house, and called out to his mom, but there was no reply. Where could she have gone? Not even Mimie was there, and there must be a very strong reason for Mimie to disappear like that.

"Wait, Ash, Brock had already come here, hasn't he?" Serena asked.

"Yeah, why?" Ash questioned back.

"Where's your Charizard?" She replied.

"That's right, he has my Charizard." Ash realized. "Not to worry, we can find out where they are." He said as he exited the door to the outside. He grabbed a Pokéball and threw it in the air, opening it to reveal Noivern.

"Noivern, can you do me a favor? Can you locate a large group of people and Pokémon somewhere in Pallet Town, please?" The Champion asked his friend.

Noivern flew upwards and used Supersonic to find out where there was a large gathering of people, and sure enough, to the southeast of Pallet Town, there were a large number of moving objects which reflected Noivern's soundwaves. The Bat Pokémon returned to its trainer to inform him of its findings.

"My suspicions have been confirmed. My mom's throwing me a party."

"Maybe we should just wait here, Ash…" Serena pondered.

"Yeah, maybe we should…"

As the group went inside Ash's house to wait, they heard the sound of flapping wings overhead. They looked up, curiosity taking over them, not knowing who was it that made that sound.

"Hey guys!" Brock said as he landed Ash's Charizard.

"Brock!" The group exclaimed almost simultaneously.

"The party's not here. It's at Prof. Oak's lab. I suggest you get there. Your Snorlax is getting hungry."

Ash and the group was about to leave Ash's house for Professor Oak's lab, when Pikachu felt electricity in its cheeks. Ash and Serena knew very well what was causing that, the communication between Pikachu and Bonnie's Dedenne. Ash then informed the siblings that there would be two more guests, which should be arriving soon.

May, Max and Brock didn't know who was it that could possibly be that would be joining them, but the answer to that question didn't wait long to let itself be known. Two people could be seen in the distance moving towards them relatively fast, with a third one lagging behind them.

"Ash," Serena informed, "don't you mean three guests?"

"No, it's just Clemont and Bonnie." Ash reminded her.

"Then who's the third person?" That phrase by Serena made everyone look at the people arriving.

Ash and Serena identified the incoming guests, but Brock, May and Max didn't know who the two girls were, walking fast side by side, one clearly older than the other, being followed by a boy, hunching forwards due to his backpack.

The two girls stopped running as they approached Ash and Serena.

"Hello, Mr. Champion and his Queen!" Korrina greeted Ash and Serena.

"Korrina, what are you doing here?" Ash questioned.

"Bonnie here invited me, I hope you don't mind."

"Wait… for… me…" Clemont yelled between breaths.

"Hurry up, Clemont! You're too slow!" Bonnie yelled back at her brother.

Ash introduced the new guests to Brock, May and Max, who got along with Bonnie right away due to Dedenne. Clemont pulled out his canteen, wishing to drink a bit of water, but it was empty, because Bonnie was the last to drink and didn't let him know it was empty. Noticing the sad look on Lemonboy's face and the empty canteen in his hand, Korrina pulled out hers from her backpack and offered it to the Lumiose Gym Leader, who took it with a smile.

"I think some introductions are in order." Ash realized. He then introduced the Lumiose siblings to Brock, May and Max. Then introduced May and Max, the Petalburg siblings, to Bonnie, Clemont and Korrina. Max took no time to approach Bonnie, wanting to play with Dedenne, who rested on her pouch. Then, Ash introduced Korrina, who's the Gym leader of Shalour City. After a little back and forth about more than half of them being related or being Gym Leaders themselves, Ash asked Korrina what she was doing here.

"Ask Bonnie. She's the one who invited me."

Hearing this, the young girl looked at Ash and Korrina, and simply stated, "Work in progress".

As they made their way to Professor Oak's lab, Ash recounted the story of meeting Clemont and Bonnie. They soon arrived at the gate to Prof. Oak's lab, but this time, it was unlocked. They walked the cemented path that led to the lab itself, Clemont almost falling down, if it wasn't for Korrina holding him steady.

"Guys, I think my mom has got all the people here in Pallet to yell 'Surprise' when I arrive up there." Ash warned. "If you think it can help, act surprised."

While Ash said this, Brock told Ash's Charizard to be ready, as if something was about to happen.

The moment Ash set foot on Professor Oak's lab, Charizard let out a roar, startling his trainer and most of his companions. This roar was followed by a command, by a voice Ash knew too well.

"Umbreon, use Psychic to lift them up!" Every one of Ash's companions levitated above him, about 1 meter above him.

Thinking this as an attack of some sort, Ash readied his Greninja's Pokéball and was about to open it, until he felt the ground shake. 'Why is the ground shaking', Ash thought, until he turned around and saw the impending attack he was about to suffer.

All of his 30 Tauros responded to Charizard's signal and decided that stampeding their trainer was the best way to show him they missed him.

Seeing Ash getting pummeled to a pulp by his own Tauros was too much for Serena to watch, so she closed her eyes. And she kept them closed until she heard Ash laugh.

"You guys need to stop surprising me like this."

"Ash, are you okay?" Serena questioned, undoubtedly worried. Although she was the one who asked, May, Max, Clemont, Korrina and Bonnie were feeling the same thing.

"No need to worry, Serena. These guys have been doing this since I caught them." Ash reassured the Kalos Queen. "Remember the Rhyhorn race you prepared me for? Remember how the Rhyhorn were so playful with you? These guys are the same way. And Gary, tell Umbreon to put them down, please."

Gary complied and Ash's companions floated down towards the ground.

After being released from Umbreon's Psychic, the group gathered with Ash to greet Gary. Ash shook the researcher's hand, and invited his companions to introduce themselves to Gary. First May and Max, then Korrina, then Clemont and Bonnie, then Serena. After recognizing Serena, Gary informed her that he recognized her from somewhere, to which Serena informed him that it was from the Summer Camp in Pallet, all those years ago.

With introductions out of the way, Ash asks about his other friends, namely Dawn and Misty. Brock informs that Misty is there, along with Tracey, and Gary states that Dawn should be arriving soon, as he sent his Fearow to collect her from Twinleaf Town, in Sinnoh. Ash asked May where Drew was, and her response was simply brilliant.

"I don't know, but I wish that life leads him on the best path to everything he wants. And I also wish that path is completely covered in those little blocks kids use to play."

That speech led everyone to silence.

"I… don't even know how to respond to that…" Brock said.

"Finally, I can say this after all those years: I never liked him." Max stated, and Ash nodded in agreement. "Always giving you roses apologizing for crap he did."

"What do you mean?" Serena questioned.

"We are both Pokémon Coordinators, and we participated in Pokémon Contests. He started saying I was no good at it, and putting me down. But then he'd give me roses, and I start to feel some affection for the guy. Then, in Johto, we started to go on dates. A few days later, Soledad, another coordinator, tells me that she's been dating Drew as well. At the same time. So we teamed up to get him. He wanted both of us, now he's got none." May revealed

After hearing May's story, Ash decided that moving away from conversation topic to be the best course of action and started walking, but not before informing the group of his destination.

"Guys, why don't you get settled while I go and visit my Pokémon? I'm sure they're eager to see me. Bonnie, Max, do you want to come and play with my Pokémon?"

"Yeah, let's go!" Max cheered.

"Ash, do you mind if I come along?" Serena questioned.

"Not at all!" The Kalos Champion replied

Ash grabbed all of his Pokéballs and opened them, allowing his Pokémon to breathe the cool and gentle air of Pallet Town. Ash gathered all of his Pokémon and introduced his Kalos team to them. Max was amazed at the Ninja Pokémon, and Greninja seemed to like the attention it was getting. All of them then chose to go play with their new friends, except for one, one Ash had not seen in a long time. Bayleef.

Ash saw Bayleef standing there, looking at him, and called out to it. The Pokémon ran all the way to Ash and tackled him to the ground, which worried Serena slightly, but only until she saw Ash actively trying to avoid being licked in the face by the Leaf Pokémon.

After Bayleef stopped, Serena tried to help Ash get up, only to be greeted with a Razor Leaf, making a cut in her arm.

"Bayleef! What's gotten into you?" Ash questioned the Pokémon, his voice angry at Bayleef's actions. Bayleef only looked at Ash and the girl, that girl who came out of nowhere and was now all over Ash. The Champion was checking the Queen's arm, where she was clutching, to see if there was any injury. Bayleef's Razor Leaf, true to its name, had made a cut on Serena's left arm. The wound had a bit of blood, but nothing too substantial that required urgent medical attention. Ash grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket and tied it around Serena's arm. Only when the job was done did Ash notice what handkerchief he used. It had been the very same one he used when they met. Ash said, "'Pain, pain, go away', remember?", with a smile, which made Serena smile. Which made him smile, creating a loop. It was only broken when Ash heard a voice.

"Whoa, what happened here?" "Are you alright?"

The voices the couple heard were of a boy and a girl, respectively.

"Ash, what happened here?" The girl's voice questioned.

"Bayleef happened. She tackled me to the ground, licked me, and when Serena tried to help me up, she goes ahead and launches a Razor Leaf at her." Ash explained.

"That's what happened? Oh, you poor thing." Misty approached Bayleef and started petting it. "She was just threatened by… Serena, was it?" Serena nodded, confirming her name.

"Think about it, Ash. What do you know about Bayleef?" The boy asked Ash.

"That's right, she has a crush on me…"

"Exactly. That's all it was. Imagine you liked a girl and… Oh, right, I'm talking to Ash…" The boy said, and Misty laughed.

"Ha ha, very funny, Tracey." Ash approached Bayleef. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, Bayleef. But you can't expect me to be okay with you hurting people like that…"

"Bay…"

"I know you didn't mean it, so go apologize to Serena." Ash told the Leaf Pokémon.

Bayleef slowly approached Serena, and gave out a small cry of apology.

"It's okay, Bayleef. I know you didn't mean it." Serena stated. "I understand the situation you're in, don't worry."

Bayleef looked at Serena and smiled, then started shaking the leaves around its neck. They created a scent that was sort of spicy scent, that Bayleef sent at Serena with the help of the leaf at the top of its head serving as a propeller. Serena didn't enjoy the scent at first, but started feeling energized and the pain in her arm, where the cut was, started diminishing.

"Wow, that's high praise, coming from Bayleef…" Tracey stated.

"What is?" Ash asked.

"Bayleef made a cut in Serena's arm, so it apologized by healing the cut." Tracey explained.

"You know what I think happened?" Misty interjected, heading towards Tracey. "Pokémon are more in tune with the energy around them than humans are. Maybe it picked up on something we can't…"

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Tracey smiled and Misty nodded. "Are you sure? It's Ash we're talking about." Tracey continued. "I am, trust me."

"What's going on here?" Serena questioned.

"Bayleef attacked you because of one simple fact: it's jealous of you."

"But why would it be jealous of me?" Serena questioned him.

"You tell us. Is there something Bayleef should be jealous about?" Misty replied with a question of her own, seemingly knowing the answer already.

"Serena, I want you to meet some of my other Pokémon." Ash suggested.

"Go with him, Serena. We can handle Bayleef." Misty assured the performer.

"Hey, why don't you guys ask Sceptile to hang out with Bayleef?" Ash suggested. "They're both Grass-types, maybe they can hang out."

"Good idea, Ash, we'll get on that." Tracey approved.

As Ash and Serena walked around Professor Oak's lab, Ash told Serena the story of how he met Misty and Tracey. He told her that Misty fished him out of the river the very first day of his journey, and he stole her bike to bring Pikachu to the Pokémon Center after a vicious attack by a group of Spearow. After that, she followed him around to get him to pay for her bike, which Pikachu destroyed in a massive Thunder attack. About Tracey, it was different, while travelling in the Orange Islands, Ash mentioned he knew Prof. Oak, and that was enough for Tracey to tag along with Ash and Misty.

While showing Serena some of his Pokémon, Ash was interrupted by Gary and Dawn, who had just arrived. Ash introduced Serena to Dawn and decided to look for Max and Bonnie.

Max was showing Bonnie some of his Pokémon, which included a Gallade, who evolved from a Ralts he befriended while travelling with Ash, a Swellow, a Sceptile, to name a few. When Max sees Ash, he requests a Pokémon battle, the one Ash promised when they parted ways. Ash agrees, but is stopped by Gary, who notifies them the party is ready.

Ash and the gang, comprised of Serena, May, Max, Bonnie, Clemont, Brock, Dawn and Gary, stepped into the Professor Oak's lab building, where they knew a party was being held. They just didn't expect it was going to go like this.

"CONGRATULATIONS, ASH!" A scream, multiplied by tons of voices was heard, the human voices barely noticeable due to the massive happy cries of Pokémon after seeing their trainer.

Ash and the gang could identify quite some people at the party, such as Professor Oak, who was hosting the party, Ash's mom, Misty, Tracy, and Gary. There were other people at the party, but they were mostly comprised of Pallet Town residents.

After the initial shock had worn off, Ash found himself surrounded by his friends, who took turns congratulating him on winning the Kalos League, by using statements such as "I knew you'd win eventually!", "I'm so happy for you, Ash!", "Ash-y boy won a league championship? Something's wrong with the world...". Serena stood back, not sure how to interact with all these new people.

Gary, who was around Ash congratulating the trainer, decided to ask something that was remarkably Brock-y: "How were the girls in Kalos?" Ash's brain doesn't even get enough time to process that and he looks towards Serena... Gary noticed this and made sure to comment on his action, with a knowing smile, adding a playful elbow nudge to Ash, along with the words "You dawg..."

As Serena watched Ash getting incessantly interrogated, she noticed an older woman approach her and turned to her to talk.

"Hello, Serena!" The woman told the girl. "It's so nice to meet you."

"Hello, Mrs. Ketchum, nice to meet you as well."

"Did my Ash treat you well?" Delia questioned.

"He did." Serena answered. "He always treated me very kindly, he is a true gentleman."

While Delia listened to Serena's words, she couldn't help but stare at the young girl beside her. For some odd reason, her face was familiar...

"Mrs. Ketchum? Is something wrong?" Serena inquired, worried.

"No, nothing, it's just that I think that I know you from somewhere…" Delia commented. "It's the weirdest thing."

Serena smiled. "That's because we have met before. From the same place I met Ash. Pallet Town Summer Camp."

Delia's eyes widened at the realization.

"You're the young girl Ash brought in!" Delia exclaimed, causing people around them to look at her, and Serena to nod. "I always thought my Ash would find you again… You know, that day, when we got home, as I was putting Ash to bed…"

From within the sea of people bombarding Ash with questions, he managed to hear his mom's excited sentence. "Oh, crap…" Ash whispered. "Guys, guys, let me through, please."

"… he told me 'Mom, someday, I'm gonna find that pretty girl from today'…"

Ash was just about to escape the ocean of people and meet Serena, who looked at him with wonder in her eyes. The trainer from Kanto still managed to surprise her…

"and now Ash has found his little girlfriend…" Delia finished her Wailord of a sentence. Which had unforeseen consequences, namely a drink being spat.

"GIRLFRIEND?" A voice, belonging to Dawn, commented.

If until then the party had had no issues, it would be the turning point, as every person and Pokémon there were startled by the sound of Dawn's scream…

"Did I hear correctly? Ash has a girlfriend?" Dawn left the group of people who kept asking Ash questions, in order to get some perspective about what she heard.

At this moment, Ash's mind had a fork on the road: either approach the girls and face the music, or slide back into the ocean of people, and stay very still, and hope the situation would resolve itself. He decided to do the right thing, and approached Serena.

"It seems so, Dawn..." May decided to intervene, placing her fingers in the shape of a screen in front of her, preparing for another episode of "May's Expeditions".

Dawn approached Serena and looked at the new girl from every possible angle, always looking like she could kill anyone with just the look in her eyes. After sweeping her gaze over every visible inch of Serena's body, Dawn's expression changed to one of... happiness?

"He has good taste; I give him that..."

It was at this moment that May decided to intervene.

"Dawn, were there any doubts?" As soon as those words left May's lips, the coordinators started laughing wholeheartedly. Serena didn't understand the reason for the laughter, and it showed in her face, where a rather upset look was starting to form.

Dawn noticed this, and tried to calm down the performer. Mays's hands also dropped.

"I'm sorry, Serena, it's just that... we have travelled with Ash before." Dawn stated. "And when you spend so much time with someone, you develop a sense of companionship. And once in a while, there were people who mistook that companionship for... something else."

"What do you mean, 'something else'?" Serena was really upset by then, so May did her best to defuse her. And failed, hard.

"Once in a while, we encountered trainers who seemed to think that everything is love, the romantic kind. Me and Ash had that trouble once with a couple of trainers who thought that the fact that we were fighting with each other at the time, meant we were 'destined' to be together. Boy, were they wrong..."

"I remember that," Ash spoke. "They had a double battle with us, which we lost."

"I always thought of Ash as the older brother I never had." Dawn stated. "And I know that to him, I was like a younger sister, and people still shipped us."

Gary approached the group where Ash and Serena were, and placed his arm around Ash's neck.

"I'm sorry, ladies, but I have to steal Ash here for a moment. Is it okay with you?"

"Sure, go ahead, just bring him back in one piece." Serena smiled.

As soon as Gary and Ash were out of her field of view, Serena spoke.

"There's this girl called Miette, who keeps saying that if I don't make a move on Ash, she will." Serena worried.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about this Miette girl..." May placed her hand on the performer's shoulder. "From what I've seen, you got this covered."

"Hm?" Dawn questioned, clearly interested in the knowledge the other coordinator had to share. "You saw things?"

"Oh, I have. And it's gooooood." Neither of the girls were fans of gossip talk, but May thought it would be funny if the conversation took a turn to that direction. "When I ran into Serena, she had just fallen out of Ash's Pidgeot, so I told Venusaur to grab her with Vine Whip. When it brings her to safety, she starts crying, out of shock, because she never told her friend that she loves him. A strong wind shows up, and Ash appears, on top of Pidgeot. But then, our friend Serena here, decides to hug Ash, and he hugs back."

"Whoa," Dawn stated, amazed. "Are you sure it was Ash?"

"As sure as I am standing here." May replied.

Dawn thought about the information she had just received from the Princess of Hoenn. May didn't have any reason to lie to her, but the thought of Ash having romantic intentions towards anyone seemed strange. Actually, the thought of Ash having romantic intentions at all proved too farfetched to seem real.

"I don't know, May, we both travelled with Ash, and we know him very well, and I'm sure Misty would confirm this, but Ash having romantic feelings towards a girl is as likely as Team Rocket ever stopping trying to get Ash's Pikachu…" Dawn concluded.

"I know how unlikely it is, and I know how farfetched it seems, but I know what I saw." May replied, and turned to Serena. "But maybe, our girl Serena here can tell us something Ash did to her."

Serena seemed to be without choice, as the girls seemed to be really interested in Ash's romantic side. She didn't really want to give the girls details on her relationship with Ash, so she told them a story.

"Once we arrived in Kanto, we met the Gym Leader of Petalburg…"

"You met my dad? I mean, I know you told me you met my mom, but…" May complained, but after a look from Dawn and Serena, apologized. "Sorry, go on."

"As I was saying, we met your parents, May, and Ash asked me how would I like to get to Pallet, the fast way or the scenic way. Both ways included walking. Now, this was at 4 AM, we were dead tired, and I couldn't take another step, so Ash asks the guard on the building in front of the airport in Saffron City to let us in, we arrive at the top floor, we go to the roof, and I see the most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen…"

"The Silph Co. building? Yeah, the view from there is quite astounding." May agrees.

"You've been there?" Dawn questioned the Hoenn coordinator.

"Yeah, once. Go on." May dismissed Dawn's question and motioned Serena to go on.

"Right… So, I tell him how pretty the sunrise is, and he says that he's seen more beautiful things. Then he stands by my side and holds my hand."

"Wow, that proves it. Miracles do happen from time to time." Dawn stated, amazed.

"Everyone," Misty stated while slightly banging her fork against her glass to create a sound that was loud enough for people to hear. "Tracey and I would like to announce something."

Everyone in the room looked expectantly at the Pokémon watcher and the Cerulean Gym Leader. What could it possibly be? No one would have guessed what would come next.

Misty dropped her left arm to the side of her body, an action mirrored by Tracey, followed by them holding each other's hands.

"We have been best friends for a while now, and we have been meeting in secret for some time." Misty revealed.

At this point in time, almost everyone knew what was going to be said. The key work in that sentence being "almost".

"Misty and I are dating."

The room erupted in joy. The event that led to that gathering had been completely eclipsed by the revelation that had occurred. Everyone was just overjoyed at the revelation, save for one person.

"That's great! Why are you holding hands?" Ash questioned.

"Ash, don't you know why they are holding hands?" Serena asked the champion.

"No, I have no idea." Ash replied.

Serena knew what she had to do. She told Ash to follow her and exited the lab.

Ash stood outside with Serena, facing her, not sure what the point of this exercise.

"Ash, look at me." Serena commanded and Ash complied.

"May told me you encountered a couple who thought you and May were in love, right?" The Kalos Queen questioned.

"Yes, but you know that we weren't." Ash defended himself.

"That's not the point here." Serena retorted. "Think back to that couple. They were holding hands, weren't they?"

Ash closed his eyes, and travelled within his memories to the place and time he met Oscar and Andi.

"Yeah, they couldn't let go of each other." Ash confirmed.

"Now think back to when we were watching the sunrise back in Saffron City. You couldn't let go of my hand then, could you?" Serena smiled.

"I could, I just didn't want to." Ash commented, holding his left hand with his right one, thinking back at that moment. "Your hand felt so nice."

"Yes, _my_ hand." Serena explained. "Let me give you the short version: When a man and a woman like each other very much…"

"Wait, I know that story…" Ash continued, until he was interrupted by Serena.

"NO! It's not that!" The Kalos Queen, red as a Tamato Berry, exclaimed. "When a man and a woman like each other, they want to be with them, and holding their hand is a way for them to do that."

"Oh!" Ash understood, before taking hold of Serena's hand. "You mean like this?"

"Yes, like that." Serena blushed slightly. "Since you understand why Misty and Tracey hold hands, why don't we go back inside?"

"Let's go then." Ash told Serena, still holding her hand.

Once they were inside, the majority of the guests were congratulating Misty and Tracey, when Serena noticed that Ash was still holding her hand. It felt nice, and she didn't exactly want him to stop, but she wanted to give him the choice anyway.

"Ash, you can let go of my hand now."

"Why would I? I like you and I want to be with you. So, by your own logic, I should hold your hand." Ash retorted, turning the logic Serena just used on him back to her.

Serena just went with it. She was more than happy to hold Ash's hand, ever since she could remember.

The party was going very smoothly, with everyone enjoying themselves. Bonnie and Max were playing with Ash's Pokémon; Ash himself was eating, while May just shook her head, thinking some things never change; Dawn, Misty and Tracey were happily chatting, while Brock, Clemont and Gary did the same.

Serena was enjoying a glass of Oran Berry juice when Korrina approached her, with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Serena, can I talk to you?" Korrina questioned.

"Sure, what's up?" Serena replied.

"I need to have a girl talk with you…"

"A girl talk? What's it about?" Serena inquired.

"About Lemon-boy over there." Korrina revealed, but after seeing the confused look on Serena's face, she clarified. "Clemont."

"What about Clemont?" The Queen asked once again.

"Yesterday, we met in Lumiose City, started talking, one thing led to another, and he asked me out." Korrina confided on Serena.

"That's great, Korrina!" Serena exclaimed. "I'm so happy for you!"

"I don't know what to do…" Korrina revealed.

"Oh, don't worry, you have a small guardian angel looking out for you", Serena smiled, "and she's really interested in making sure you keep her brother."

"You think Bonnie set us up?" The Gym Leader wondered.

"You don't?"

"I didn't want to think it was possible…"

"Think about it, she saying that you being here is a 'work in progress', she didn't ask any of the girls here to keep Clemont…" Serena observed. "But I don't think it's that bad. If you think there might be something there, go for it."

"Maybe it won't be so bad…" Korrina thought out loud. "Maybe we hit it off, and I admit, I have thought about Clemont in that regard."

Suddenly, the chatting voices of the guests were interrupted by a ringing noise. The videophone Prof. Oak had set up on the wall, below the clock indicated that there was a message incoming.

Tracey answered it, and after hearing the message, called out to Ash, stating it was a message from Cilan and Iris. Hearing the names of his Unovan friends, Ash got up from the table, and headed to the phone, where Cilan and Iris were. Cilan had returned to his Gym for some time while Iris was on a short vacation from Clair's Dragon training. They had heard about his win in the Kalos League, and wanted to be there at his party, but due to lack of transportation, they couldn't. They then said their goodbyes and hang up the phone.

The phone call made Ash smile, recalling his old friends. It was a shame they had to part ways, but their journey together was ending.

"My, today has been a day full of revelations, has it not?" Professor Oak observed "First Team Rocket has been dissolved, then Tracey and Misty reveal that they're dating… I think today can handle one more, don't you?"

"What do you have in mind, gramps? Is it that thing you talked about?" Gary questioned.

"Yes, it is. Do you want to be a part of it?" The professor replied with a question of his own.

Gary put on a thoughtful look. "I don't know, I need to check my schedule."

"Professor, are you, by any chance, referring to Project Nyoromo?" Tracey inquired.

"Yes, Tracey, I am. But, as much as I like the name, Project Nyoromo was always a temporary name." Prof. Oak confessed. "The project's real name is something at least 4 people here are aware, those being me, Delia, Ash and Serena."

"Huh? We know this project of yours?" Serena questioned.

"Yes. You, in particular, wouldn't be here if you didn't know it. But you know it as Pokémon Summer Camp."

At the sound of those magic words, the thought of how she first met Ash popped into Serena's head.

"What about Pokémon Summer Camp, Professor?" Ash queried.

"Ash, Serena, I have a request to make the two of you. Summer's just around the corner, and despite the demographics here in Pallet are kind of descending, I had a brainwave. I want to reopen Pokémon Summer Camp, and I want you two there as camp counselors."

Ash and Serena's eyes open wide at the new information. Ash is just about to talk, but stops himself.

He turns to Serena. "You wanna do this?" Ash asks softly.

"Why do you ask?" Serena questions.

"It's where we met. It'd be amazing if we could return there and teach kids who are like we once were."

Serena thinks for a second, and says "Okay, I'll do it."

"You can count on us, Professor!" Ash reports, excited.

The rest of the party happened without incidents. Professor Oak shared the details of the Summer Camp with the future councelors, Ash, Serena, Clemont, who was forced to volunteer after Bonnie insisted on taking part on the Summer Camp, Korrina, who stayed behind because of Clemont, Gary, Tracey and Misty.

Since Pallet was a small town, there was no Pokémon Center or a hotel. Delia suggested that she would shelter Serena during the Summer Camp. The rest of the participants, except for Tracey and Gary, who had a residence in Pallet, had to go to the Pokémon Center in Viridian, and stay there during the event.

Everyone said their goodbyes and wished each other the best of luck.

Delia had decided that she'd let Serena stay over that night, but seeing as Professor Oak just announced the new Summer Camp, codenamed Project Nyoromo, she thought 'Well, I could let her stay here during the Summer Camp.'

Ash asked his mom if Serena could sleep in his room, to which Delia raised an eyebrow, and demanded a reason for his request. Ash replied that they, along with Clemont and Bonnie, had slept in the same room hundreds of times, and that it would not be that big of a deal. In response to that, Delia told him that she could get an extra bed to his room the day after, but right now would be too much work, and they were already tired. Ash informed his mom that she could use her sleeping bag or, if she wanted, he'd give her the bed, and he'd sleep on the floor. Seeing no harm in that, and knowing her son was stubborn as a Bastiodon's head, Delia allowed the young trainers to share Ash's room.

After a while, during dinner, Ash was telling his mom all about the adventures he had in Kalos, and all the friends he had made, when Delia turned to Serena and asked what she did in Kalos. The Kalos Queen told Delia that she was a Pokémon performer. Serena explained that she competed in events, known as Pokémon Showcases, which mainly showed the way a Trainer used her Pokémon's moves to create a spectacle, although other themes were used as well.

Ash interjected that she was really good at it too, which caused Serena to blush twofold, because Ash was complimenting her, and because she was very modest and didn't want to mention that. Ash reiterated the idea of Serena being good at Showcases by mentioning that she had won the grand prize of the Showcase circuit, being called the Kalos Queen.

This got Delia thinking. Then she smiled at her thought. Revealing it to the young trainers, she mentioned that due to their titles in their respective competitions, Serena and Ash were "the Queen and her Champion".

Ash thought it was cool, while Serena blushed at the thought of Ash being _her Champion_.

Ash could not sleep. He was always able to get some sleep before any big battles in his life, but today proved to be the exception. He had his mind set on being the counselor the Summer Camp Professor Oak was organizing, and he wanted to be the very best he could be.

And he was not alone in his insomnia.

Serena had heard him toss and turn in his bed, and called out his name.

"Ash, are you awake?"

"Huh? Serena, did I wake you?" Ash questioned.

"No," Serena turned to the left, facing Ash, "I can't sleep."

"Me neither." Ash revealed. "I don't even know what time it is…"

"Me neither." Serena said with a chuckle, realizing she had unwillingly mimicked Ash.

For a while, they said nothing. They just laid there, Ash in his bed and Serena in her sleeping bag, The only sound they could hear was the second hand ticking away in the alarm clock Ash had broken the night before he set off on his journey. The deafening silence is something neither of them were enjoying at the moment.

"Serena," Ash spoke, "there has been something on my mind for quite some time…"

"What is it, Ash?" Serena questioned.

Ash raised himself from the bed and sat on it, his whole body turning to the girl. "Remember back at the Champion's Hall, when you used Sweet Kiss on me?"

How could Serena forget? It had been her first kiss, and his too, but it had no emotional charge, not at first, at least.

Serena raised herself from her sleeping bag as well, ending up in a seated position, mirroring Ash.

"Oh… that… that wasn't a Sweet Kiss. That was just me, giving you a kiss on the cheek, but you turned your head to the right." Serena explained. "I didn't want to kiss you like that, it just kinda… happened."

Neither of them had talked to each other about the kiss they had. Nobody knew it happened, either, except for Clemont, Bonnie and Alexa.

"It was kinda nice…" Ash confessed, thinking back to the time where he shared his first kiss with Serena. "Is that something couples usually do?"

"Yes, among other things." Serena told Ash. "There are lots of things a couple can do together."

"What other things are there?" Ash's curiosity was obvious.

"Well," Serena thought, "they can go on dates, do stuff together, show support for each other…" she explained.

"Hmm," Ash wondered, "if what you say is true, then we are almost a couple…"

"W-What?!" Serena exclaimed, surprised.

"Think about it. We show support for each other, we do stuff together, all that's left is for us to go on dates." Ash counted with the help of his fingers.

Serena chuckled. "There's a bit more to it than that, actually."

"There is?" Ash questioned.

"Yes, for us to be a couple, we'd have to be in love." Serena explained, a slight blush creeping up on her face.

"Ah…" Ash nodded slowly, acknowledging that he forgot something. "And how do I do that?"

"Nobody can tell you if you're in love, Ash. You just know." Serena smiled at the trainer, while she got up and sat next to him on his bed. Feeling the next question from him would be 'And how do I know?", Serena took his hand into hers and explained, as best she could, what was it like to be in love.

"When you see the person you're in love with, your heart starts beating faster, and when you look them in the eyes, it's like it's about to burst right out of your chest..."

Ash looked down at his chest, as if recalling a sensation. "Sometimes, I get a tingling sensation here, in my chest. Is that what you meant?"

Serena nodded and continued. "Also, there's this feeling you have towards them. You want to make it your personal mission to protect them from harm."

Ash thought about this. "Oh, you mean like I do to you?" Serena looked at him with a quizzical look. "Yeah, I want to protect you all the time. And most of the time, I don't even think about it."

Serena smiled. "There are more things that tell you if you're in love, but one thing is, you look at them and you love everything about that person, even their faults."

Ash listened to Serena, but couldn't bring himself to reply. He was mesmerized with the sight before him. To his right, the moonlight managed to get in through the glass window, and it hit Serena's hair in a way that seemed almost magical.

"I really wish you could see yourself as I see you right now." Ash commented, and after Serena inquired further, Ash explained, stating that "it's like your hair is being bathed in the moonlight, it's incredibly pretty."

"There's one more thing. Remember back in Pewter, when Brock interrupted us?" Serena questioned, and Ash nodded. "For some odd reason, I kept looking at your lips. And I wanted to kiss them. How weird is that?"

"Not weird at all, Ash, trust me." Serena told him. "Do you still want to kiss my lips when you look at them?" Ash looked at her and nodded. "Then do it. If you don't know how to, don't worry, just let it take over you."

Ash was unsure on how to do what Serena requested of him, so he thought back to the only time he felt like that, Pewter Pokémon Center. He replayed the events in his mind, up until Brock interrupted them, and imagined Brock never called them.

He felt the same urge to kiss Serena's lips with his own, a feeling so alien to him, but he trusted Serena and if she said it was okay, then it was okay.

Their lips were close enough that he can feel her breath, something he liked, to his own amazement.

When their lips made contact, Ash was not sure if he was doing things right, but it felt right for him, and that's what he went with.

Serena was on cloud nine. This was the culmination of all the time she had travelled with Ash. She was enjoying the first kiss she had with Ash, completely given on purpose, with intention, feeling and spur of the moment. And although it lasted only for a couple of seconds, Ash had finally began to understand what it was that Serena had been talking about.

"That… thing that just happened, did I do it?" Ash questioned.

"Yes, you were great. Who would have thought that you were such a good kisser?" Serena smiled.

"I think it was just beginner's luck." Ash concluded. "If you're okay with it, I think we can try it again, tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Serena questioned.

"It doesn't have to be tomorrow, if you have things already planned, I just don't want to wait until we do this again." Ash explained, smiling.

"You know, Ash, maybe we should get some sleep, or at least try to." Serena said softly as she got up and headed to her sleeping bag. "If we don't, we'll be sleepy all day. Besides, you don't wouldn't want to learn all about this in just one sitting."

"Yeah, you're right…" Ash nodded. He slid under the covers, turned to Serena, and said "Good night, Serena."

"Good night, Ash." Serena smiled at the trainer.

"I'll try to dream about you." Ash revealed, something Serena never expected. Maybe the kissing exercise they had done just a few minutes ago triggered something in Ash. Well, whatever it was, Serena would be there to help Ash understand it.

* * *

**Ah, our boy Ash seems to be starting to understand Serena's feelings... Heh...**

**So, Project Nyoromo... For those of you wondering, Nyoromo is the Japanese name for... Poliwag.**

**Maybe, in another universe, I keep writing this, adding chapter after chapter, gathering more and more fans to finally take over the world. Maybe, in another universe, I just write more of this because I want to give you more of it.**

**But in this universe, I have one more chapter planned. It's called: "What Happens - Chapter 7: TYTBR - Title Yet To Be Revealed!". Seriously, now, I have an epilogue for this, it's being worked on.**


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